Chair and Executive Director - Associate or Professor in Social Work
Listed on 2026-08-13
-
Education / Teaching
Academic, University Professor, Education Administration -
Management
Education Administration
Chair and Executive Director - Associate or Professor in Social Work
Job Title:
Chair and Executive Director in Social Work
Department Name:
College of Social Work
Work Location:
Lexington, KY
Type of Position:
Faculty
Position Time Status:
Full-Time
Tenure Track Status:
Tenure Track
Required
Education:
An earned doctorate in Social Work from an accredited institution or an earned Master of Social Work degree from a CSWE-accredited program
Required Related
Experience:
A record of teaching, scholarship, and service commensurate with appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor with tenure. Strong potential for securing external funding and producing high-quality scholarship. Ability to foster, develop, and/or maintain positive professional relationships with local, state, federal, and private social work focused agencies/organizations/associations.
Job Summary:
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK (CoSW) is a renowned leader in higher education. Our mission is clear:
Through rigorous research, excellence in instruction, and steadfast service, the CoSW works to improve the human condition. Always, in all ways. As the state's flagship university, CoSW is committed to actualizing our mission through innovative, accessible academic programming. CoSW is home to several undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs, including:
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (traditional and online), Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (traditional and online), Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (traditional and online), Master of Science in Criminal Justice (online), Master of Social Work (hybrid and online), Doctorate of Social Work (online), Ph.D. in Social Work (traditional), and multiple certificate programs. In addition to Lexington's main campus, we have a satellite campus at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.
The Chair and Executive Director of Social Work Programs serves as the chief academic and administrative leader for the College's social work educational enterprise. The Chair provides visionary leadership and strategic oversight for all aspects of the College's social work programs, including the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Master of Social Work, Doctorate of Social Work, Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work, and related certificate programs.
Reporting directly to the Dean and serving as a member of the College leadership team, the Chair and Executive Director advances the College's strategic vision through academic leadership, faculty development, student success, community engagement, operational excellence, and organizational growth.
Primary responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to:
- Leads Strategic Growth and Innovation
- Develops and implements the strategic vision for the College's social work programs.
- Guides academic innovation and program growth across modalities.
- Uses workforce, enrollment, and market data to inform planning.
- Identifies opportunities for new educational initiatives.
- Advances Faculty Success
- Recruits, mentors, supervises, and evaluates faculty and instructional personnel.
- Supports promotion, tenure, annual review, and workload planning.
- Supports faculty leadership development.
- Cultivates a collaborative faculty culture.
- Promotes Academic Excellence
- Oversees BASW, MSW, DSW, PhD, and certificate programs.
- Supports curriculum innovation.
- Ensures compliance with CSWE and SACSCOC.
- Promotes instructional quality across all modalities.
- Supports Student Success
- Partners with admissions, advising, practicum, recruitment, and student success.
- Advances recruitment, retention, persistence, and graduation initiatives.
- Strengthens Community Impact
- Develops relationships with agencies, alumni, professional organizations, and community partners.
- Supports fundraising and workforce partnerships.
- Expands community-engaged scholarship and education.
- Manages Resources for Organizational Success
- Oversees personnel, budgeting, operational planning, and resource allocation.
- Collaborates with College leadership to advance strategic priorities.
The University's mission involves three primary functions across our faculty cohort: instruction, research, and service. Each year,…
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